🧠 10 NCLEX-Style Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) on Stomatitis

NCLEX-Style MCQs on Stomatitis
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10 NCLEX-Style MCQs on Stomatitis

💊 Q1. A patient with stomatitis reports severe pain while eating. Which of the following nursing interventions is most appropriate?
A. Offer hot and spicy foods
B. Encourage citrus fruits for vitamin C
C. Offer cool, soft, bland foods
D. Recommend high-protein dry snacks
✅ Correct Answer: C. Offer cool, soft, bland foods
🧠 Rationale: These foods are less likely to irritate inflamed mucosa and help the patient maintain nutrition without aggravating pain.
🩺 Q2. The nurse is caring for a patient with herpetic stomatitis. What is the priority nursing diagnosis?
A. Risk for fluid volume overload
B. Chronic pain
C. Acute pain
D. Deficient knowledge
✅ Correct Answer: C. Acute pain
🧠 Rationale: The patient's primary complaint with herpetic stomatitis is pain from ulcerative lesions, especially during eating and drinking.
🧪 Q3. The nurse teaches a patient with stomatitis to rinse their mouth with:
A. Alcohol-based mouthwash
B. Lemon juice and water
C. Hydrogen peroxide full strength
D. Baking soda or saline solution
✅ Correct Answer: D. Baking soda or saline solution
🧠 Rationale: Saline or baking soda rinses are soothing and non-irritating, helping reduce bacteria and inflammation without damaging tissues.
👶 Q4. Which assessment finding requires immediate attention in a child with stomatitis?
A. Refusal to eat due to pain
B. Slight fever of 100.8°F
C. Signs of dehydration
D. Drooling and mouth breathing
✅ Correct Answer: C. Signs of dehydration
🧠 Rationale: Children with painful stomatitis may refuse fluids, increasing the risk of dehydration—a medical emergency in pediatrics.
🍽️ Q5. A nurse is planning diet education for a client with stomatitis. Which meal selection indicates correct understanding?
A. Toasted bread with orange juice
B. Mashed potatoes with scrambled eggs
C. Spaghetti with tomato sauce
D. Fried chicken and soda
✅ Correct Answer: B. Mashed potatoes with scrambled eggs
🧠 Rationale: Soft, bland, non-acidic foods are recommended. Options A, C, and D may irritate the oral mucosa.
💊 Q6. A patient is prescribed nystatin oral suspension for oral candidiasis (fungal stomatitis). What is the correct instruction?
A. Swallow the medication quickly
B. Rinse with water immediately after
C. Swish and retain in mouth before swallowing
D. Mix it with milk before taking
✅ Correct Answer: C. Swish and retain in mouth before swallowing
🧠 Rationale: Nystatin needs direct contact with the affected mucosa. Swishing allows maximum local action before swallowing.
🧬 Q7. Which vitamin deficiency is associated with recurrent stomatitis?
A. Vitamin D
B. Vitamin K
C. Vitamin B12
D. Vitamin E
✅ Correct Answer: C. Vitamin B12
🧠 Rationale: Deficiencies in Vitamin B12, iron, or folate often present as glossitis and stomatitis due to epithelial tissue atrophy.
🦠 Q8. Which is the most appropriate nursing action to prevent secondary infection in a patient with stomatitis?
A. Apply lemon glycerin swabs frequently
B. Use dry gauze to clean ulcers
C. Maintain meticulous oral hygiene
D. Instruct to pop blisters to reduce pressure
✅ Correct Answer: C. Maintain meticulous oral hygiene
🧠 Rationale: Maintaining oral cleanliness is key to preventing secondary bacterial or fungal infections in broken mucosa.
🦷 Q9. What instruction should be given to a denture-wearing patient with stomatitis?
A. Avoid removing dentures unless sleeping
B. Use toothpaste to scrub the denture
C. Soak dentures in warm saltwater overnight
D. Clean and remove dentures regularly for mucosa to heal
✅ Correct Answer: D. Clean and remove dentures regularly for mucosa to heal
🧠 Rationale: Continuous denture wear can exacerbate denture stomatitis. Removing them gives mucosa time to recover.
🧠 Q10. A nursing student asks why aphthous ulcers form during stress. The best response by the nurse is:
A. Stress increases acid production in saliva
B. Emotional stress weakens immune responses
C. Stress increases sugar cravings that feed bacteria
D. Stress reduces salivary flow permanently
✅ Correct Answer: B. Emotional stress weakens immune responses
🧠 Rationale: Stress suppresses immune defenses, increasing vulnerability to viral or aphthous ulcer flare-ups in the oral mucosa.